Melvin and Hannah Shiffler
By Francesca Ragusa
Edited by Elizabeth Dockett
Nov. 2023 Update: Hannah Shiffler died Sunday, July 9, 2023 at the Gino Merli Veteran’s Center. As relayed in her obituary, she was a proud army wife and followed Melvin wherever he served. She loved playing bingo and loved making memories with her grandchildren.
SCRANTON (Spring 2023) - Melvin and Hannah Shiffler’s 54-year-long commitment to one another represents love, communication, understanding and support.
During a long and challenging time during the Vietnam war, nothing was certain for the Shifflers, except for making the best out of what they had for themselves and their children. For Melvin, 77, and Hannah, 74, Germany was their home for 12 years.
The German translation for “I love you” is “ich liebe dich.” This was learned when Melvin was deployed to Germany and Hannah followed him there after they were married. Hannah never learned German, but Melvin went to school in Germany and became fluent in the language. Melvin would translate for Hannah whenever she needed.
“When his friends came over and they would talk, I wouldn’t understand, but I always knew what he was saying,” Hannah Shiffler said. She relied on Melvin and that bonded the two.
The couple had their first two children, Silas and Paula in Germany. They welcomed two more children, Terri, born in Pennsylvania, and Lisa, born in Arizona. Two of their three daughters, Paula and Lisa passed away. The couple look back on their memories as a family with bittersweet hearts.
Melvin’s Military position
Born in 1946, Melvin Shiffler enlisted into the United States Army at 18-years-old. He wanted to fight for his country.
“I took myself and went,” Melvin Shiffler said.
During his 30-year service, he met and served with strong and wonderful people, including the Elvis Presley, when they were on the same base in Germany. Melvin remembers Presley performing for their base.
Melvin received three Medal of honors at the end of his service. He received the Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign and Cross of Gallantry.
Melvin was a high-ranking officer during his service. With his position, he ran and volunteered at the Military Officers Club, which had him disciplined and working a lot of the time. Even though he worked a lot, his family knew it’s what he had to do. When his children were older, they were able to join Melvin at the club. Hannah specifically loved to go for bingo, where she won a lot. As part of the Military Officers Club, Melvin and his children occasionally would attend Volksmarches in Germany. This form of non-competitive fitness walking was popular in Germany, and it helped expose the Shifflers to explore and learn about the German culture.
Part of his volunteer service, Melvin makes poppy flower pins for other veterans. The poppy flower signifies freedom and sacrifice for this nation, “It’s a true symbol of freedom,” Melvin Shiffler said. Melvin proudly wears his Vietnam Veteran hat with a red poppy flower pinned on it.
Melvin Shiffler showing off his Vietnam hat that he wears every day on March 23, 2023.
The beginning of Melvin and Hannah’s love story
While on leave from duty, 22-year-old Melvin was visiting his family back in Pennsylvania when he met 18-year-old Hannah. She was Melvin’s younger sister’s babysitter at the time. He knew she was someone he wanted by his side for the rest of his life.
“She was a good-looking lady,” Melvin Shiffler said.
When Melvin asked her to get married and move to Germany with him, she was nervous since it was a different country and she didn’t know the language. But Melvin replied to her worries with, “You’ll learn. That’s what learning is all about,” so Hannah trusted him. The couple soon married and moved to a base in Germany together.
Despite not liking Germany at first, Hannah tried her best to become comfortable with her new home and life. While getting used to her new life in Germany, she met other military spouses who spoke English. She said she remembers feeling better knowing others could understand her. Though Hannah never learned fluent German, she always found her way, especially since she had Melvin and her children to help her.
Life in Germany for the Shiffler family
Since Melvin and Hannah’s first two children, Silas and Paula, were born in Germany, they have dual citizenship of the United States and Germany. The two attended a few years of school in Germany and there they learned some of the language.
After moving back to the states and having two other daughters, Terri and Lisa, Melvin was deployed to Germany again, the Shifflers moved to Germany.
Hannah was able to compare her kids experience living in the states vs. Germany.
“It is really not that different if you stop and think about it, they do the same things we do, except it was in German,” Hannah Shiffler said. After living in Germany four separate times, Melvin can confidently say it was his favorite country to live in.
Melvin spent a lot of his time working for the club system. With that, came some benefits for their young kids.
The mechanical bull was something the kids enjoyed, while Hannah sat back and hoped they didn’t get hurt, Melvin took pride in teaching his kids how to properly ride a mechanical bull. When one would fall, Melvin would get them right back up, “I got them up and said they were all good,” Melvin Shiffler said. They would then try again.
Raising kids is already a difficult life work, but raising kids while on base is intense. Melvin and Hannah taught their kids to care for one another and to be good people.
When Silas would win money from Bingo, “he always spent it on his sisters...he learned it from me,” Hannah Shiffler said, since Silas knew how to care for the women around him.
What their marriage looks like in 2023
For the past six years, the Shifflers have been living at the Gino J. Merli Veterans Center in Scranton. Though Hannah never served, she supported her husband through it all, and that is just as important. Together, Melvin and Hannah are cared for side-by-side by a full-time professional staff who honors the Shifflers dedication of this nation.
The Shiffler represents a marriage that comes with responsibilities. If there’s one thing to learn from Melvin and Hannah, it’s that even when devoting their life to their country, they were able to raise a family that taught them different values than a regular American family.
The couple took their wedding vows seriously when it came to, ‘for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish.’
After 53 years of marriage, Melvin and Hannah continue to resemble a military family. While they look back on their memories as parents, they also look back on the courage and strength it took to stand for their country.
Lessons on marriage
To maintain a good marriage, while also making a good team for your children, Hannah said you must balance the two.
“You gotta talk to each other and tell each other what is on your mind,” Hannah Shiffler said.